Does Epiphone count?

[ShortBuSX]

My buddy just bought a Vintage Faded SG 400 from MF, first ones neck was broke...2 weeks later(even I lost sleep!) he got another...thing is BADNESS!!! But hes hardheaded and the the setup is terrible. He brought it to "jam night" and I played a couple tunes on it...as I was playing "the Rover" I could hear the intonation...action high, trying to accomodate the truss rod adjustment, rear humbucker raised and slanted. I offered my services...even offered a new set of Elixcers(hes never tried em) to try and get my hands on to rectify the (set up)situation...but this guy knows more about nothing, and nothing about something...hes helpless and for no good reason!

Well since(I talked him into financing his) Ive had my eye on these....I even found a great SG forum...Ive been drooling seriously! Did you know ALL of these are NITRO'd?!? Ive gotta have one! Ive even considered that this is a 5 week pay period!! BUT today, to my surprise, I found Ive paid off a credit card...and am seriously considering financing one of these...but I dont want the "vintage" but the BLACK SG 400 Epi...even the Goth model has my attention.

Im really trying to vent some GAS, but I think Im gonna bite the bullet...any opinions, ideas or suggestions. Im kinda findin it strange that the SG 400 is $100 more than the "vintage"...but I gotta have that BLACK!!! And no matter the model...Im thinkin Toni Iommi's, so the pups and pots arent an issue and easily remidied in the not so distant future.

PS I have no intentions to mail order this!

[ShortBuSX]

Now Im itchin for en Epiphone Les Paul...maybe a Standard or Plain top...I dunno...but Im feelin a new Epiphone in the near future.

[sunvalleylaw]

Now Im itchin for en Epiphone Les Paul...maybe a Standard or Plain top...I dunno...but Im feelin a new Epiphone in the near future.

Which leads me right back into the Epi vs. Agile vs. Samick LP deal. Gotta save up for a nice one and then decide.

[duhvoodooman***]

Hey, Short, methinks you need one of THESE....

[ShortBuSX]

Hey, Short, methinks you need one of THESE....

Yeah, I NEED one of those...but I was thinking more along the lines of THIS

MY buddy's set up was so bad that I couldnt play it long, he didnt have a strap so I had to play it seated...but after reading a couple reviews, I get the impression that its neck heavy, so Im kinda second guessing that choice...kinda makes the Les Paul even more desireable.

[Spudman***]

Play an SG with a strap on standing up before you buy one. They can be neck heavy which makes playing them a bummer sometimes. Just some advice.

[tot_Ou_tard]

Play an SG with a strap on standing up before you buy one. They can be neck heavy which makes playing them a bummer sometimes. Just some advice.

Nothing worse than a neck heavy guitar, no matter how cool it is.

[ShortBuSX]

So does anybody here have an SG?

The Epiphone LPs that Im interested in are the Standard and the Standard plain top...any opinions would be appreciated.

[duhvoodooman***]

No SG, but I do have an Epi Elitist LP Standard that is a sweet guitar. Plays as well as any Gibson LP I've tried. The Elitist series guitars are made by topnotch Japanese luthiers, and rival Gibson USA quality in every respect but the electronics, from all I've read. I upgraded the pickups with Seymour Duncans and did some fancy rewiring with push/pull pots, and it does everything I want it to now. I paid $700 for mine on closeout from MF about a year and a half ago.

[Spudman***]

So does anybody here have an SG?

The Epiphone LPs that Im interested in are the Standard and the Standard plain top...any opinions would be appreciated.

You can't go wrong there. The Standard is the way to go. The plain top is pretty blah in my opinion. Too bad you didn't get in on the Music123 quilt top deal last month. I'm loving mine and play it all the time.

[ShortBuSX]

Got any pics posted of it?

[ShortBuSX]

So I went to Sam Ash last night...to my dissapointment they dont carry epiphone, but I was able to try out a couple of used Standard LPs...Im gonna bite! By now my delima is where do I get it from? There is no place local for me to get it. I dont want a broken one sent via UPS from MusiciansFriend, I dont trust that combo after seeing my buddys busted SG and the hellish(3 week) wait to get the situation rectified...but I tend to blame UPS moreso cause they recently lost a package of mine from MF in the same week.
So whos a good mail order outlet...or do you believe these to be isolated incidents?

[duhvoodooman***]

Here's a B-stock Epi LP Std. with the flame maple "Plus Top" from Music123 for $400 and free shipping:

http://www.music123.com/Epiphone-Les...-i102841.music

These B-stock guitars generally have very minor flaws and are an excellent value. Music123 ships by FedEx and from what I've seen, the vast majority of those Fullerton and Aria close-out guitars they've been shipping have been arriving in good shape....

[Plank_Spanker]

Every transaction I've had with Musician's Friend has been positive. I ordered my SG and both Les Pauls from them - no hassles, no broken / bad instruments, no lost orders. The only issue I have with MF is backordering - sometimes it takes a while to get what you order if it's not already in stock.

Considering my experience, and the flood of orders MF takes every day, I think your buddy's experience was the exception.

One caveat - every guitar I've ordered from MF shipped with a hard shell case. That in itself is major shipping protection.

[ShortBuSX]

Considering my experience, and the flood of orders MF takes every day, I think your buddy's experience was the exception.

You know I tend to agree with you to some degree...I really feel its UPS thats the problem, and more specificlly its likely just the Jacksonville facility, I KNOW thats where mine got lost...and I suspect his was damaged there too.

One caveat - every guitar I've ordered from MF shipped with a hard shell case. That in itself is major shipping protection.

I think you might be onto something...that I wouldnt have even considered, as I would have waited to get a case for it. Thanks!

[ShortBuSX]

Here's a B-stock Epi LP Std. with the flame maple "Plus Top" from Music123 for $400 and free shipping:

Whats a "plus top"?

These B-stock guitars generally have very minor flaws and are an excellent value. Music123 ships by FedEx and from what I've seen, the vast majority of those Fullerton and Aria close-out guitars they've been shipping have been arriving in good shape....

If I could see the damage before purchasing, Id likely do it.

And I like the idea of knowing that they are consistantly arriving in good shape...as opposed to 2 botched orders in a matter of days.

[duhvoodooman***]

Whats a "plus top"?

Just denotes an upgrade over the standard maple top. Flame maple is prettier.

If I could see the damage before purchasing, Id likely do it.

And I like the idea of knowing that they are consistantly arriving in good shape...as opposed to 2 botched orders in a matter of days.

B stock is usually not damaged, but rather minor imperfections as manufactured. A lot of people who buy them end up saying "I can't even find the flaw." I've read that comment again & again....

[ShortBuSX]

So its flame maple? That I understand...I think

[ShortBuSX]

Im currently looking for a buyers guide for LPs...Im browsing the forums, and interestingly enough I found this.

First off I just bought a Les Paul Standard in Vintage Sunburst. I love the thing but you see, I ordered it off the internet...

I usually avoid this but Musicians Friend has treated me good in the past so I opted to go with them again. I have had terrible luck with this one though. First time it was the wrong finish, second time one of the pickups was sunken into the guitar. Third time, one of the tone knobs did not work at all. I just got my fourth replacement yesterday and it seems fine so far.

But then I found this(sorry no link)

I purchased my last ANYTHING from Music123! I ordered a '57 Les Paul Junior reissue from them on May 2nd and it's still sitting in their warehouse. When I contacted their customer service they are very unresponsive at best (rude at worst). The market is too competitive for them to act like this. The salesman that I worked with originally said that they have been purchased by Guitar Center.

So I dunno, I guess every place has thier horror stories...but I did just get a healthy line of credit form 123...so its all over but the decidin! B stock Plus Top or Standard in black???